Letter-conveyer.



A, A PUCCINI 81 D. EVANGELIST.

LETTER CONVEVER.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 17. I915.

Patented Apr. 3, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

A TTOlM/EY ms NOIVRIS mums can PHom-urmz. wAsumc mul a c AURELIO A.ruccmr, or coaonn, AND Dominion EVANGELIST, or'nnw YORK, n. Y..

LETTER-CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Application filed April 17, 1915. Serial No. 22,089.

To all whom it may concern:

and DOMiNICK EVANGELIST, both subjects of the King of Italy, andresidents of Corona, county of Queens, and State of New York, and of NewYork, county and State of New York, respectively, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Letter-Conveyers, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a class of apparatus adapted to be used inbuildings and like structures.

Our invention has for its object primarily to provide a conveyer of anelectrically operative type designed to be employed in buildings and thelike where persons reside especially in apartments whereby letters,cards, and similar articles may be received at a given station, forexample on the main floor of the building, and then transmitted to theapartments of the persons to whom the various articles belong withoutrequiring personal deliveries of the articles. The invention consistsessentially of one, or a number of chutes arranged at a given station inthe building so that one chute extends to each apartment thereof, andeach chute has an inlet for admitting the article to be transmitted aswell as having an outlet through which the article is discharged intothe apartment to; which the chute leads. In each chute is a movablecarrier, or box for receiving the article passed through the inlet ofits chute, and the carrier is then electrically transmitted to theoutlet of the chute at which time the article is caused to be dischargedfrom the carrier through the outlet of the chute into the apartment ofthe person to whom the article belongs, the person being notified of thedelivery of the article by causing an alarm in the apartment to besounded.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a motor; to providemechanism operable by th motor wherebye ach carrier may be independentlytransmitted; to provide a normally open circuit adapted to operate themotor when closed; to provide a normally open sub-circuit adapted to beclosed for sounding an alarm when article is discharged from thecarrier; to provide trips which are operated by contact with the carrierto cause the circuit to be opened for stopping the operation of themotoras well as disconnecting the carrier from the operative mechanismto permit the carrier to return to its station following the dischargeof the article.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinaftermore particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawingsforming a partsof this specification in which similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and will thenbe pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly fragmentary and partly insection, showing the manner of using a number of letter conveyersembodying our invention in conjunction with a building.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly fragmentary and partly in section, of oneof the conveyers.

' Fig. 3 is a side view of the conveyer shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, of the opposite side of theconveyer shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section, partly in detail, taken on the line VV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper part of the chute ofthe conveyer, showing the manner of discharging an article from itscarrier, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the elec- 'tric circuit for operatingthe conveyer to gether with the sub-circuit.

One or any suitable number of the letter conveyers may be used in abuilding or other like structure, as 10, having one, or a number ofapartments on separate floors, as 11 and 12, and all of the conveyersare alike in construction. When more than one conveyer is employed theyare preferably arranged in a single group to lead from a suitablereceiving station preferably in the main entrance, or on the lower flooras 13, of the building so as to be accessible to the person v the frontwall of the chute under the outlet is a shelf 22 on which thearticle isreceived after passing through the outlet.

Interiorly of each of the chutes 14 is a carrier, or box 23 forreceiving the article passed through the inlet of its chute so as to betransmitted for being discharged from the box through the outlet of thechute. Each box is of a size soas to be freely movable in its chute, andthe box has a front wall 24, rear wall 25, top wall-26, and a bottomwall 27. Through the wall of the box at the .intersection of its topwall and front wall is an opening, or inlet 28 adapted to be nor mallyin register with the inlet 19 of the V chute'when the conveyer is not inoperation so as to be positioned for receiving the article insertedthrough the inlet of the chute, and through the front wall of the box isan outlet, or opening 29 adapted to register 7 with the outlet 21 in thedoor 20 of the chute when the box has been transmitted to this part ofthe chute to permit the article to be discharged into the apartment. Tothe top wall 26 of the box is connected one end of a line 30 which iswrapped around a transverse shaft 31 journaled in the upper parts of theside walls of the chute, and this shaft is of a length to extend somedistance beyond the chute. In order to cause the article to bedischarged from the box after being transmitted to the outlet 21 of thechute, in the upper back corner of the box is pivoted the rear edge of atransversely disposed plate 32 which is of a size to be freely movablein the box as well as having its forward edge movably disposed in theoutlet 29 of the box.

' The plate 32 is normally swung upwardly so that its front edge is incontact with the upper wall of the outlet 29 by a spring, as 33, havingone end connected to the underside of the plate 32, and the other endconnected to the inner surface of the rear wall of the box adjacent tothe bottom thereof. In this manner when the transverse plate is swungdownwardly its movement will be against the tension of the spring 33,and the outer free edge of the plate will rest on the lowerwall of theoutlet 29 of the box. When an 'art-icleis received through the inlet 28of the box after being inserted through the inlet 19 of the'chute at themain station of theconveyer the article will rest on top of the yieldingtransverse plate 32, and when the box has been transmitted in the chuteso that its'outlet 29 is in register with the outlet 21 of the chute theplate 32 will be contacted Through the door 20 by a rod 34. The upperend of the rod 34 is secured, at 35, interiorly of the chute, and thisrod is arranged in the path of movement of the box so that its lower endwill enter the inlet of the box, and contact with the yielding plate 32,adjacent to one edge of the latter and the corresponding side Wall ofthe box due to the close relative position of the rod to the inner faceof the chute so as to depress the plate without contacting with thearticle on its top especially when the article is in the form of aletter, or the like. The plate 32 will then be swung downwardly againstthe tension of the spring 33, to cause the article to be discharged bygravity and when the upward movement of the box is checked, as will behereinafter more fully explained, the article will-slidably pass fromthe plate for being delivered through the registered outlet 29 of thebox and the outlet 21 of the chute into the apartment to which thearticle belongs immediately preceding the movement of the box on itsdownward course through the chute.

To cause the carrier, or box 23 to be transmitted in its chute, anelectric motor of any suitable type, as 36, is preferably employed, andwhen a number of the convcyers are employed in a building, or likestructure, all of the carriers or boxes may be operated by one motorfrom a common drive shaft 37 main station of the conveyers. On the driveshaft of the motor 36 is a pulley, or sprocketwheel 38 over which isguided a belt, or sprocket chain 39 passed over a pulley, or sprocketwheel 40 on the drive shaft 37 and to permit the carrier, or box to beindependently transmitted in its chute for the delivery of articles,each conveyer is provided with a separate mechanism, as 41, adapted tobe operated by the shaft 37 when driven by the operation of the motor36.

The operative mechanisms 41 of each of the conveyers are correspondinglyconstructed, and each mechanism has a clutch 42 which may be of a wellknown form having two cooperating toothed members 43 and 44. The toothedmember 43 is held stationary on the drive shaft 37, and the toothedmember 44 is slidable on the shaft so as to be shifted into and out ofengagement with the member 43. On the slidable toothed member 44 is asprocket wheel 45, and to this member is also connected one end of asuitable hand lever 46 adapted to be moved back and forth laterally forshifting this toothed member into and out of engagement with the toothedmember 43 so that the clutch 42 and sprocket wheel 45 will be rotatedwhen lever. Over the sprocket wheel 45 is guided a sprocket chain 47which is disgosed upwardly alongside of the chute 14, and the sprocketchain is guided over a sprocket wheel 48 rotatable on the projecting endof the shaft 31 in the upper part of the chute. Also on the shaft 31 isa clutch 49 which may be similar to the chute 42 having two cooperatingtoothed members 50 and 51. The toothed member 50 is held stationary onthe shaft, while the toothed member 51 is slidable thereon. Formedintegral with the toothed member 51 is a collar 51 also slidable on thisshaft 31, and on this collar is integrally formed the sprocket wheel 48,the sprocket wheel with the collar and the toothed member 51 of theclutch bein g thereby slidable together on the shaft 31.

Serving to actuate the motor 36 for operating the mechanism 41 of eachconveyor, to transmit the carrier, or box 23 of each conveyerindependently, we provide a normally open electric circuit 52, and whenmore than one conveyor is used in a group all the circuits may receivetheir current from a single source of supply, such as a battery, as 53,which may be of any suitable type. From one pole of the battery 53 is awire 54 leading to one terminal of the motor 36, and from the secondpole of the battery 53 is a wire 55 to which is connected a wire 56terminating with a contact 57 arranged in proximity to the inlet 19 ofthe chute of each conveyer. Also contiguous to the chute of eachconveyer is a switch 58 the central part of which is pivoted, at 59, sothat one end is disposed toward the chute while the other end is adaptedto be swung into engagement with the contact 57 of the wire 56, and tothe pivot 59 of the switch is connected a wire 60 leading to the secondterminal of the motor 36. When the conveyer is not in operation themembers of the clutch 42 are positioned out of engagement, and themembers of the clutch 49 are positioned in engagement with each other,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order to close the circuit 52 forenergizing the motor 36 to operate the mechanism 41 of one of theconveyers for transmitting its carrier, or box 23 to deliver an articlewhen received therein, the lever 46 of the trans mitting mechanism ismanually directed to move the toothed member 44 into engage ment withthe toothed member 43 of the clutch 42, and the switch 58 of theelectric circuit is then swung so that one of its ends will engage thecontact 57 of the circuit. The circuit will thereby be closed from thebattery 53, over the wire 54 to the motor, and also from the batteryover the wires 55 and 56, to the contact 57, through the switch 58, andover the wire 60 to the motor. The motor will then be energized fordriving the sprocket chain 39, and the drive shaft 37..

- 28 in its chute will be transmitted from the receiving station to itsdestination for discharging the article therein, as above explained.

To notify the occupants of the apartment that the article has beendelivered, an alarm, as 61, is caused to be sounded simultaneously withthe discharge of the article from the carrier, or box by closinganormally open electric subcircuit 62 which also leads from the battery58, the sub-circuit and the alarm of each conveyer being similar when anumber of conveyors are used in groups. The alarm 61 may be of any wellknown form of an electrically operative bell, or buzzer, and the alarmmay be arranged at a suitable location in the apartment. The sub-circuit62 includes a wire 63 leading from the wire of the battery to one poleof the alarm, and from the second pole of the alarm is a wire 64 leadingto a contact 65 adapted to be engaged by-a switch 66, and to this switchis connected a wire 67 which leads to the second wire 55 of the battery.The switch 66 is arranged on the back of the chute of its respectiveconveyer, and this switch is made of spring metal having a curved freeend 68, Figs. 2 and 5, movably disposed through an opening 69 in theback of the chute so as to be in the path of the movement of the box forcontacting with the switch, and this switch is insulated from thechute.' The curved end of the switch extends interiorly of the chute,and when the carrier, or box is transmitted to its destination fordischarging its article the box will at the same time engage the switchwhich in turn will be moved into engagement with the contact 65. Thealarm of the conveyor will then be sounded by the sub-circuit beingclosed from the battery over the wires 54 and 63 to one pole of thealarm, and also'from the battery over the wires 55 and 67, through theswitch 66, through the contact 65, over the wire 64, and thence throughthe alarm. The alarm will thereby be sounded to notify the occupants ofthe apartment of the delivery of the article.

To cause the circuit 52 and the sub-circuit 62 to be opened for stoppingthe operation of the motor and the mechanism 41 as well as stopping thesounding of the alarm 61 whereby the carrier, or box 23 of the conveyerbeing operated will be returned to its main station, we provide in eachconveyer two trips, as 70 and 71, these trips of all the conveyors beingsimilarly formed and alike in arrangement. The trip 7 O has a bracket 72of substantially the shape of a U to provide two spaced arms 73 and 7 1,and this lever 7 6 having the free end part of its vertical arm pivotedto a bracket 77 extending laterally from the chute. The free end part ofthe lower arm of the lever 7 6 is movably disposed interiorly of thechute through an opening therein so as to be movable upwardly anddownwardly, and this arm of the lever is of a length as well as being sodisposed that the carrier, or box 23 will contact therewithsimultaneously with the discharge of the article from the box. The trip71 has a lever 78 movably extending through an opening in the lower partof the opposite side wall of the chute, and this lever is disposed inproximity to the main station of the conveyer for being contacted bythebox 23 as well as supporting the box in its normal position forreceiving an ar ticle for. transmission. The outer end of the lever ispivoted to a bracket 79 projected from the chute to permit the lever tobe swung upwardly and downwardly, and to the central part of this leveris pivoted one 7 end of a rod 80 which is disposed upwardly.

The upper end of the rod 80 is pivoted to a lever 81 having its centralpart pivoted to a bracket 81 extending from the chute, and the upper endof this lever engages the collar 51 of the toothed member 51 of theclutch 49, this lever serving to slidably move the collar as well aspermitting the collar to be rotated independently thereof. The lever .81is of a form; as shown, so as to extend downwardly and so that its lowerportion will be disposed on an incline through an opening in the chute.The free end of the lever 81 extends some distance interiorly ofv thechute in the path of movement of the box 23, and this end of the leveris on alinement with the lower arm of the lever 7 6 of the trip so as tobe contacted by the box when the lever 76 is contacted therewith. Whenone of the letter conveyors is operated, and its carrier, or box 23 istransmitted in its chute for delivering an article, as hereinbeforeexplained, synchronously with the discharging of the article and withthe sounding of the alarm 61, the box will engage the lever 81 ofthe'trip 71 and also engage the lower arm of the L-shaped lever 7 6 ofthe trip 70. The lever 76 of the trip 7 0 will then be swung upwardlyfor directing the rod and swing the upper arm 74;

of the bracket 72 likewise in upward directions. As the lower arm 73 ofthe bracket 72 is swung upwardly when the switch 58 of the electriccircuit 52 is moved into engagement with the contact 57 to close thlscircuit, this lower arm of the bracket will be reversely moved by theoperation of the trip 70 for freeing the engagement of this switch withthis contact, and the circuit will then be opened to cause the motor andthe transmitting mechanism 4:1 to be stopped. The contacting of the box23 with the lever 81 of the trip 71 will also swing this lever togetherwith the rod and the lever 78 upwardly, and with this movement of thelever 81 the toothed member 51, the collar 51 and the sprocket wheel 4-8will he slidably guided on the shaft 31 for freeing the engagement ofthe toothed member 51 with the toothed member 50 of the clutch 49. Therotation of the shaft 31 will thereby be checked for winding the line 30of the box thereon, and the hand lever 46 of the transmitting mechanism41 is manually swung to disengage the toothed member 1 1 with thetoothed member 13 of the clutch 4-2. By making the box 23 of eachconveyer of sufficient weight. the box will cause the sh aft 31 to bereverselv revolved, and the line 30 will be unwound therefrom forpermitting the box to be lowered by reason of its own weight in itschute. When the box has arrived at the main station of the conveyer itwill. contact with and rest on the lever 78 of the trip 71, and thislever with the rod 80 and the lever 81 will be forced downwardly. Inturn the sprocket wheel 48, the collar 51*, and the toothed member 51 ofthe clutch 49 will be slidably guided on the shaft 31 for moving thetoothed member 51 into engagement with the toothed member 50, and theconvever will be in readiness to be again operated.

In the foregoing description, we have embodied the preferred form of ourinvention, but we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselvesthereto, as we are aware that modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis invention; therefore we reserve to ourselves the right to make suchchanges as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

IfIaving thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. In a letter conveyer, a chute adapted to be arranged in a building soas to be disposed from a station to an apartment therein, the said chutehaving an inlet at the station, and having an outlet leading into theapartment, a box slidably mounted in said chute and provided with aninlet for receiving an article inserted through the inlet of the chuteand an outlet for discharge of the article through the outlet of thechute, a spring retained plate inside the box for supporting the articlewhen received therein, means for raising and lowering said .box, andmeans for causing the plate in the box to be yieldingly moved fordischarging the article simultaneously with the outlet of the box beingregistered with the outlet of the chute.

2. In a letter conveyer, a chute adapted to be arranged in a building soas to be disposed from a station to an apartment therein, the said chutehaving an inlet at the station, and having an outlet leading into theapartment, a box slidably mounted in said chute and provided with aninlet for receiving an article inserted through the inlet of the chuteand an outlet for discharge of the article through the outlet of thechute, a spring retained plate within the box and having one edgethereof hingedly attached thereto when received therein, means forlowering and raising said box, and means adapted to contact with saidplate for causing it to be yieldingly moved for discharging the articlesimultaneously with the outlet of the box being registered with theoutlet of the chute.

3. In a letter conveyer, a chute adapted to be arranged in a building soas to be disposed from a station to an apartment therein, the said chutehaving an inlet at the station, and having an outlet leading into theapartment, a box slidably mounted in said chute and provided with aninlet for receiving an article inserted through the inlet of the chuteand an outlet for discharge of the article through the outlet of thechute, a spring actuated plate retained transversely inside the box forsupporting the article, means for raising and lowering said box, meansfor causing the plate in the box to be yieldingly moved for dischargingthe article simultaneously with the outlet of the box being registeredwith the outlet of the chute, together with means for automaticallycutting oif said raising and lowering means when the box has arrived ateither the inlet or the outlet of the chute.

4. In a letter conveyer, a chute adapted to be arranged in a building soas to be disposed from a station to an apartment therein, the said chutehaving an inlet at the station, and having an outlet leading into theapartment, a box slidably mounted in said chute and provided with aninlet for receivingan article inserted through the inlet of the chuteand an outlet for discharge of the article through the outlet of thechute, a spring actuated plate retained transversely inside the box forsupporting the article when received therein, means for raising andlowering said box, and a finger mounted in said chute and adapted tocontact with the plate in said box for causing same to be yieldinglymoved for discharging the article simultaneously with the outlet of thebox being registered with the outlet of the chute.

5. In a letter conveyer, a chute, a carrier mounted within said chute,said carrier having an inlet and an outlet, a plate within said carrierand hingedly connected thereto, resilient means engaging said platewhereby it is adapted to act as a yielding support for an articleinserted within the carrier, means for causing said carrier to travelback and forth in said chute, and means for engaging said plate at apredetermined point in the travel of the carrier, whereby said platewill be swung downwardly and the article resting thereon will bepermitted to pass through the outlet in the carrier.

6. In a letter conveyer, a chute, a carrier in said chute, means forcausing said carrier to travel back and forth in said chute, an inletand-an outlet in said carrier, a plate hingedly connected to saidcarrier and normally disposed to lie in a plane intermediate said inletand outlet, means for causing said plate to cut off communicationbetween said inlet and outlet and act as a support for an articleinserted within said carrier, and means for engaging said plate at apredetermined point in the travel of the carrier whereby said plate willbe moved to permit the article resting thereon to pass through theoutletin the carrier.

This specification signed and witnessed this sixteenth day of April, A.D. 1915.

' AURELIO A. PUCCINI.

DOMINICK EVANGELIST. Witnesses: V

Boer B. Amzorr, M. DERMoDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

